Catholic Social Services elevates Reyes to new leadership position

Catholic Social Services (CSS) is expanding its leadership team by creating the role of vice president of community engagement, the organization announced Feb. 26.

The leadership role is a new initiative for CSS aimed at bolstering volunteer participation throughout central and southern Ohio. CSS is an organization motivated by faith that seeks to help poor and vulnerable seniors and families reach their potential.

CSS announced that Ramona Reyes, who currently serves as director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Center, located on Columbus’ west side, has been appointed to lead the new effort. She will assume the role April 1.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to accept the role of vice president of community engagement at Catholic Social Services,” she said. “Guided by the values of compassion and service, I am committed to fostering meaningful connections within our community and advancing the mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

In her new leadership role, Reyes will seek to inspire deeper volunteer engagement. She will continue to serve as director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Center.

She said the new initiative is an extension of what CSS currently does in its mission of serving families and seniors. The leadership role is intended to support the work of the entire organization, not only the Our Lady of Guadalupe Center.

Reyes said CSS is searching for a 20,000 square foot facility on the west side of Columbus to house the volunteer center.

Ideally, she said, CSS would like for the Our Lady of Guadalupe Center to be on one side of the facility and the volunteer center on the other side, but she said the centers might need to be individual units.

By creating a volunteer center and expanding the leadership team, Reyes said, CSS is seeking to create a language of volunteerism that matches their mission of serving seniors and families in need and connecting neighbors with one another.

“Just like the Parable of the Good Samaritan, when faced with a neighbor in need, we hear Jesus say, ‘Go and do likewise,’” said S. Kelley Henderson, president and CEO of CSS. “Our impact has grown tremendously through Catholic Social Services’ Our Lady of Guadalupe Center under Reyes’ leadership. She is the best person to lead this key effort for us.”

 CSS will begin scouting out volunteer opportunities. In the first couple of months, Reyes said, the organization will focus on groups from parishes, schools and organizations to volunteer. Eventually, there might be volunteer-from-home opportunities for individuals who want to volunteer but cannot come in or do not belong to a large group.

The community engagement role is targeted at connecting the community that wants to serve with those who are in need of service. Reyes said she does not believe there is a void, but rather, an opportunity to expand.

“We’ve seen young people do acts of kindness and volunteerism; we’ve seen seniors do acts of kindness and volunteerism,” Reyes said. “How wonderful would it be if we all came together, where we may see 50 people – 100 people – being guided to do one mission, which is helping our neighbor.”

Reyes said a great encounter occurs when CSS can match a neighbor in need with programming and somebody who is willing to serve. She said it also brings hope to the neighbor in need.

“I think it’s a dual hope,” Reyes said. “Sometimes people are looking for that volunteer opportunity to have an impact and be present for an individual that’s in need. That really makes the need and the impact come together.”

Because every community is different, she said, services are geared toward the community’s particular needs. CSS is currently discussing how the new initiative will look based on the community they serve, Reyes said.

“It’s really a more expansive look at what it means to be a volunteer in the communities that we serve and how we can all become neighbors helping neighbors,” she said.

Volunteer opportunities could include supporting CSS’ Stay the Course program by creating educational kits for students going to college, supporting veterans by creating hospitality kits to celebrate their service to the country and other initiatives focused on supporting families and seniors in need.

Reyes said the first on-site volunteer event will likely take place in the fourth quarter (October – December 2024) this year.

She said it will take time to grow the organization’s volunteerism department. The initiative will be a “gradual launch” as CSS builds relationships in the community and explores opportunities that will match their mission with that of community partners, such as schools, parishes and organizations, who want to serve.

CSS created hashtags to share information and connect. Hashtags include #ServeAsNeighbors, #NeighborsServingNeighbors and #CSSserves, as well as #ServirComoVecinos (serve as neighbors) in Spanish.

Potential volunteers and organizations are encouraged to reach out and contact CSS at [email protected]. A new phone number, 614-857-1232, will be added that is specific to the department.

CSS serves more than 10,000 individuals annually. Their mission is supported by volunteers helping seniors find connections, guiding families to a brighter future and assisting young adults transitioning to the workforce.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Center combats poverty among the local immigrant Hispanic community. The center offers services including a food pantry, English as a Second Language classes and health screenings.